Heat exchangers

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger embodying an elongated tubular member with integral elongated fins having elongated bases extending transversely thereacross, and with the fins disposed in a flexure wherein the free ends thereof are disposed in abutting engagement with adjacent fins.

United States Patent 1 OConnor et al.

[ HEAT EXCHANGERS [75] Inventors: Joseph M. OConnor, Chicago;

Stephen F. Pasternak, Park Ridge,

both of ill.

[73] Assignee: Peerless of America, Incorporated,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 344,918

[52] US. Cl. 165/181, 29/1573 B, 113/118 B [51] Int. Cl F28f 1/16 [58] Field of Search 165/171, 181-184 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Nov. 26, 1974 Dubim et al. 1.65/182 3,247,583 4/1966 Hannsson eta]. 29/157.32 3,692,105 9/1972 OConnor- 165/181 3,696,861 10/1972 165/184 X 3,746,086 7/1973 Pasternak 165/181 Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-Theophil W. Streule, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmRoot & OKeeffe 5 7 ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 3 Drawing ljig ires HEAT EXCHANGERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to heat exchangers and, more particularly, heat exchangers of the finned type.

It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel heat exchanger of the finned type and a novel method of making the same.

Another object is to enable a novel finned heat exchanger to be afforded, which is of a type wherein the fins are formed by cutting or gouging them out of wall portions of the heat exchanger.

Finned heat exchangers, wherein the fins thereof are formed by cutting or gouging them from the wall portions of the heat exchanger have been heretofore known in the art, being shown, for example, in US. Letters Pat. No. 3,692,105 issued to one of the applicants hereof, Joseph M. OConnor, and being shown in R. W. Kritzer US. Letters Pat. Nos. 2,247,243,-

3,202,212 and 3,229,722. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel finned heat exchanger, and a novel method of making the same, which constitute improvements over the finned heat exchangers, and the methods of making the same heretofore known in the art.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel finned heat exchanger wherein the parts thereof are constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner effective to afford novel, transverse, external passageways thereacross.

A further object is to afford a novel heat exchanger embodying outward projecting fins thereon, wherein stability is afforded to the outer edges of the fins in a novel and expeditious manner.

A common disadvantage of previously known finned heat exchangers, having fins projecting outward from opposite sides thereof, has been that placing such heat exchangers in side-by-side stacked relation to each other causes undesirable interlacing of the fins of the adjacent heat exchangers. It is an object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel heat exchanger of the type embodying outwardly projecting fins on opposite sides thereof, which readily can be disposed in finned side-to-finned side stacked relation to another heat exchanger of the same type without causing interlacing of the fins of the two adjacent heat exchangers.

A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel heat exchanger embodying outwardly projecting fins thereon, wherein the fins may be used in a novel and expeditious manner to secure the heat exchanger to an adjacent supporting structure, or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel heat exchanger, which is practical and efficient in operation and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a heat exchanger embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. I, with a portion, shown in broken lines, added thereto in somewhat diagrammatic form; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modified form of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS HEREIN A heat exchanger or heat transfer element 1, embodying the principles of the present invention, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings to illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, and to illustrate the presently preferred method of making heat exchangers in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

The heat exchanger 1 embodies, in general, an elongated tubular member 2 having a sidewall 3 which extends around the outer periphery of an opening 4, extending longitudinally through the tubular member 2, a plurality of fins 5 and 6 projecting outwardly from the outer faces of two oppositely disposed sides 7 and 8 respectively, of the wall 3.

As will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, in the preferred practice of the present invention, the heat exchanger 1 is preferably formed from a suitable length of tubular stock, such as, tubular stock 9, shown somewhat diagrammatically in FIG. 2, working from one end portion A of the tubular stock 9, FIG. 2, toward the other end B thereof, and then severing the heat exchanger 1 from the remainder B-C of the tubular stock 9 upon completion of the forming of the desired length of heat exchanger, such as the length AC.

The tubular stock 9, from which the preferred form of the heat exchanger 1, shown in the drawings, is made, may be of any suitable material, such as, for example, aluminum or cooper, and the like, and embodies a plurality of elongated, outwardly projecting ribs 10 on the outer face of each of the sides 7 and 8 of the wall 3, the ribs 10 extending longitudinally of the tubular stock 9 in parallel spaced relation to each other.

In making the heat exchanger 1, a tubular member such as the tubular member 9, and embodying the ribs 10, extending the full length thereof, may first be formed. Thereafter, the fins 5 and 6 may be successively formed on each of the sides 7 and 8, respectively, of the wall 3 from one end portion of the tubular member 9, such as the end portion A, toward the other end B thereof, FIG. 2. Each of the fins 5 and 6 may be cut or gouged from the sides 7 and 8, respectively, by means of a suitable cutting tool which cuts along lengthwise of the ribs 10, to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, to form the surface 11, which terminates at its right end, as viewed in FIG. 2, adjacent to but outwardly of the bases 12 of the ribs 10. After each of the fins 5 and 6 has been cut or gouged from a rib 10 on the tubular SHOWN member 9, it is bent outwardly into a suitably shaped flexure, preferably in the form of a smooth curve, such as, for example, a portion of a circle or a portion of an elipse. If desired, such shaping of the fins 5 and 6 may be performed by the cutting tools.

All of the fins 5 and 6 have a similar configuration. They are cut from the ribs 10 in such a manner that the bases of the fins remain integral with the ribs and extend transversely to the length of the elongated tubular member 9. The fins 5 and 6 are disposed in parallel rows 13 and 14, which extend across the sides 7 and 8, respectively, of the wall 3, transversely to the length of the tubular member 9.

After the fins 5 and 6, in the respective rows 13 and 14 disposed most closely adjacent to the end A of the tubular member 9 are formed, as each subsequent fin 5 or 6 is formed, it, preferably, is bent or curved toward the end A of the tubular member 9 into position wherein the free end portion 15 thereof is disposed in abutting engagement with the adjacent face 16 of the next adjacent fin 5 or 6, disposed between the fin being formed and the end A of the tubular member 9, FIG. 2. With this construction, each adjacent pair of rows 13 and 14 of fins 5 and 6 define an elongated passageway 18, which extends transversely across the elongated tubular member 9 for the passage of air, or other suitable working fluid which may surround the heat exchanger 1, across the heat exchanger 1, transversely to the length of the latter.

Each of the tubular members 18 in the preferred form of heat exchanger 1, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is interrupted at various points in its length, corresponding to the spaces between the adjacent ribs 10, so as to afford passageways 19, FIG. 1, extending longitudinally of the heat exchanger 1 between the fins 5 or 6 formed on respective adjacent pairs of the ribs 10. This, in addition to affording passageways between fins 5 and 6, extending longitudinally of the heat exchanger 1, increases the heat transfer surface of each of the fins 5 and 6.

Upon the completion of the formation of the desired length of heat exchanger, such as the length A-C shown in FIG. 2, this portion of the tubular stock 9 may be severed from the remainder B-C thereof, FIG. 2, to thereby afford a heat exchanger, such as the heat exchanger 1 shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2.

With heat exchangers constructed in the manner of the heat exchanger 1, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, they may be readily disposed in stacked side-by-side relation to each other, with the fins, such as the fins 6, on one side of one heat exchanger resting on the fins, such as the fins 5, on a side of another heat exchanger, without the fins on adjacent heat exchangers becoming interlaced with each other. In addition, the construction of the heat exchanger 1 is such that the outwardly facing portions I7 of the surfaces 16 of the fins 5 and 6 may be readily secured to supporting members, such as, for example, plates, or the like, not shown, by suitable means, such as, for example, by a suitable adhesive, such as, an epoxy resin, or by strip soldering, or by brazing, and the like.

It will be remembered that, preferably, the flexure of the fins 5 and 6 is in the form of a smooth curve, such as a portion of a circle or of an elipse. In addition, preferably, the flexure of the fins 5 and 6 is such that the free end portions 15 thereof project downwardly or inwardly toward the center of the tubular member 2, into the aforementioned engagement with the face 16 of the next adjacent fin 5 or 6. With this arrangement of the adjacent fins 5 or 6, each of them is firmly supported against movement throughout their length, including the free end portions 15 which are disposed in abutting engagement with adjacent fins. I

In the preferred form of the heat exchanger shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the free end portions 15 of the fins 5 and 6 are disposed in abutting engagement with adjacent fins 5 and 6. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this is merely by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, and the free end portions 15 may be otherwise disposed, such as, for example, in closely adjacent spaced relation to the adjacent fins 5 or 6, without departing from the purview of the broader aspects of the present invention. In addition, if desired, the free end portions 15 of the fins 5 and 6 may be secured by suitable means, such as, for example, soldering to the adjacent fins 5 or 6, although this is not considered necessary in the preferred form of the heat exchanger l.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3, and like reference numerals have been used on like parts, and the same reference numerals with the suffix a have been used on parts which are similar to but which have been substituted for parts of the preferred form of our invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be noted that, basically, the changes made in the modified form of our invention comprise the following: the elongated tubular member 2a of the heat exchanger or heat transfer element 10 does not embody any elongated ribs, extending longitudinally thereof; and the fins 5a and 6a extend across the entire widths of the outer faces of the sides 7a and 8a, respectively, of the wall 3a.

The tubular stock used in making the heat exchanger 1a shown in FIG. 3 is the same as the tubular stock used in making the heat exchanger 1, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except that it does not embody any ribs, such as, ribs 10, the original thickness of the sides 7a and 8a of the wall 3a being the same as the thickness of the sides 7 and 8, but the outer faces thereof being smooth throughout their widths and lengths.

The fins 5a and 6a are formed in the same manner as heretofore described with respect to the formations of the fins 5 and 6, namely, by slicing or gouging the same from the tubular member 2a, with a suitable cutting tool. However, in the formation of the fins 5a and 6a, they are not cut from parallel spaced ribs, but are cut from the smooth outer face of the sides 7a and 8a of the wall 3a of the tubular member 2a, the cut being made for each of the fins 5a and 6a across the entire width of the tubular member aa, transversely to the length of the latter. The fiexure of the fins 5a and 6a, preferably, is the same as that of the fins 5 and 6, and the fins 5a and 6a, which are adjacent to each other longitudinally of the tubular member 2a, preferably, are disposed in the same relative position as the adjacently disposed fins 5 and 6 of the heat exchanger 1.

It will be seen that with the fins 5a and 6a disposed in the preferred position therefor, wherein the free end portions 15 thereof are disposed in abutting engagement with the faces 16 of the adjacent fins, the passageways 18a through the fins Sa, have closed outer peripheries throughout their lengths.

Like the heat exchanger 1, heat exchangers embodying the construction of the heat exchanger 1a, shown in FIG. 3, may readily be stacked in fin side-to-fin side relation to each other without interlacing of the fins of the adjacent heat exchangers, and the outwardly' facing portions 17 of the surfaces 16 of the fins 5a and 6a may be secured to suitable members, not shown, for'supporting the heat exchangers 1a from such members, or for supporting such members from the heat exchangers la, and the like.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel finned heat exchanger.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel method for making finned heat exchangers.

In addition, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel finned heat exchanger which is practical and efficient in operation, and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Thus, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A heat transfer element comprising a. an elongated tubular member substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section, having two oppositely disposed elongated walls,

b. a plurality of elongated fins projecting from said walls and extending transversely to the length thereof,

c. said fins having 1. elongated base portions a. integral with said walls, and b. spaced from each other longitudinally of said walls, 2. convex surfaces facing away from one end portion of said tubular member, and 3. free end portions a. disposed at the sides of said fins remote from said walls, and b. disposed in abutting engagement with said convex surfaces of adjacent ones of said fins,

d. adjacent ones of said fins together with said walls defining elongated tubular passages extending traversely to the length of said walls.

2. A heat transfer element as defined in claim 1, and

in which a. the extremities of said free end portions face toward said walls.

3. A heat transfer element as defined in claim 1, and

in which a. said tubular passages are interrupted along their lengths to define a plurality of spaced sections. 

1. A heat transfer element comprising a. an elongated tubular member substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section, having two oppositely disposed elongated walls, b. a plurality of elongated fins projeCting from said walls and extending transversely to the length thereof, c. said fins having
 1. elongated base portions a. integral with said walls, and b. spaced from each other longitudinally of said walls,
 2. convex surfaces facing away from one end portion of said tubular member, and
 3. free end portions a. disposed at the sides of said fins remote from said walls, and b. disposed in abutting engagement with said convex surfaces of adjacent ones of said fins, d. adjacent ones of said fins together with said walls defining elongated tubular passages extending traversely to the length of said walls.
 2. A heat transfer element as defined in claim 1, and in which a. the extremities of said free end portions face toward said walls.
 2. convex surfaces facing away from one end portion of said tubular member, and
 3. A heat transfer element as defined in claim 1, and in which a. said tubular passages are interrupted along their lengths to define a plurality of spaced sections.
 3. free end portions a. disposed at the sides of said fins remote from said walls, and b. disposed in abutting engagement with said convex surfaces of adjacent ones of said fins, d. adjacent ones of said fins together with said walls defining elongated tubular passages extending traversely to the length of said walls. 